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I n the “Mad Men” advertising era, a clever tagline, catchy copy and a never- ending emphasis on “positive spin” was largely how marketing was done. With the ability of social media to quickly reward or punish companies with reviews, reports and rumors, it’s time to ditch the spin and concentrate on presenting the best product or service possible in an honest way. Positive feedback from the social media world is the reward for doing it right— for creating something of substance that engages and intrigues buyers. Conversely, organizations showcasing substandard of- ferings cleverly cloaked in a bunch of spin will likely get their butts kicked in the marketplace—if not now, then certainly down the road. Thought leader and very popular blog- ger Seth Godin addresses the evolution in an interview by Marketo Chief Marketing Officer Sanjay Dholakia. Godin points out, “Most marketers have come from an envi- ronment where everyone is selling exactly the same product. The way you won was with a clever tag line. That is the world of ‘Mad Men.’ Modern marketers say, ‘Well, of course Apple people are waiting in line to hear Apple’s announce- ment because they’re actually doing something new. They’re not just spinning the old’…Their role is coming up with an experience, an environment, a service, a product, that people can’t help talking about, and then consistently delivering on that.” Godin continues, “Say you start a real boutique hotel. Then you make sure the right people are staying there in the first few weeks. Word gets out among their circle of friends, who talk to the next circle and the next, and the hotel is sold out. Marketing’s spin cycle gets washed away in tide of buyer demands for truth, substance, positive reviews Or you can start a fake boutique hotel, which Hyatt Hotel is trying to do.You skip all those steps and make it look like a bou- tique hotel. And then you’re puzzled and surprised when there isn’t a line out the door. The reason there isn’t a line out the door is that the people you were hoping to connect with can tell that it’s not a real boutique hotel.” It’s important to note here that Actor Will Rogers, born all the way back in 1879, had his own version of this concept— so its roots are in fact long established. He said simply, “If advertisers spent the same amount of money on improving their products as they do on advertising then they wouldn’t have to advertise them.” Bottom line, create great products/services and a stellar customer support team, and let the good times—and positive buzz—roll. Peer-to-peer outweighs mar- keter claims Increasingly, consum- ers want “unbiased” third-party endorse- ments. According to Godin, there is “more reliance by consum- ers on peer-to-peer connections and less on the message they hear directly from the marketer.” The ubiquitous nature of social media makes it rel- atively easy for prospects to scour reviews and fo- Like what you’re reading? Share, like or follow it all from our website: plumbmarketing.com #plumbgoodmarketing T his holiday season, we teamed up with the Denver Fire Department to participate in a “Toys for Tots” drive benefitting kids at Chil- dren’s Hospital. In the midst of everybody’s harried and hurried quest to get ready for the season, this event reminded us of the importance of going beyond ourselves to help others. Between our workdays, families, the daily challenges of a modern-day metropo- lis (seen a construction zone lately?) and a seemingly never-ending checklist of chores, it’s easy to get trapped in a self-absorbed cocoon of frustration and sadness.There’s too much to do, too little time to get it all done, and many of us wind up throwing ourselves a pity party every now and then. Want to get out of that cocoon? Do something meaningful for people whose daily chal- lenges focus on getting through the next chemo session without too much nausea. Find ways to support those who, STRAIGHT TALK by LYNNDELL EPP Toys for Tots…the rest of the story rums to see how the company rates. In this realm, legitimate testimonials, endorsements and case studies featuring clients, colleagues or partners can be far more influential than unsubstantiated claims of excellence. Bottom line, where possible let raving fans tell the company story. People are fed up with “pretend” cus- tomer caring Godin complains about the pervasive customer service culture where companies tell you how important your call is, fol- lowed by long hold times and interactions where the customer service rep is rated by how fast they can get you off the phone. He notes, “That’s the opposite of cus- tomer engagement.This company spent a lot of time and money to set up a phone queuing system.Then when you talk to them, they don’t care enough to talk back, or if they do talk back, they put someone in your face who has been programmed to be a cog in a machine…If you’re serious about engaging the customer, you realize that the most valuable moments you have are when the customer is using your product, on the phone with you, actually engaged with you.” Bottom line, people want to be heard, not handled—and to be dealt with in a forth- right and supportive way. Companies failing to do so will increasingly become prey to companies that do. Want to investigate ways to better excite and engage prospects and present buyers alike? Let’s talk about it: 303-607-9424; [email protected] Marketing spin cycle A s a child, Plumb Fulfillment Manager Tim Dykes wanted to be a mailman. He notes, “My mom was a stay-at-home par- ent. We always went to the door when the mailman came. He was the nicest person I’d ever met. I thought it would be fun to give people things and talk with them.” He got his wish. At Plumb for 14 years, Tim is in charge of shipping, receiving and fulfillment of orders for fulfillment clients. Basically, he makes sure that ordered items are all included in a shipment, pack- ages everything up to be both efficient and well-protected, then sees that they’re shipped to the correct recipients in a timely manner. He also handles inventory control and management. “The favorite part of my job is the packaging—finding the box that will best fit the product—and hunting down the best shipping price for our clients,” Tim emphasizes. The Lakewood native and army veteran applauds the caring, sharing and personable nature of Plumb’s clients and his col- leagues. He says, “Overall, we’ve been lucky with great customers and people. All in all, everybody is pretty easy to work with, and everybody is invested in a win-win outcome.” Tim sees fulfillment continuing to ex- pand as more people creating new products realize the value of outsourcing this critical function instead of doing it themselves— freeing up their time for other important efforts. “They can order online and get a one-stop way to do everything fulfillment related,” Tim says. As his department grows, Tim wants to be a model for others coming on board. “I’m always looking for improvement in processes and my performance, and I want to help other people succeed in what they’re doing. I won’t ask anyone to do anything I’m not willing to.” Tim balances his work life with family. Married since 1997, Tim and his wife have two children. PLUMB PEOPLE AND PLACES Tim Dykes always wanted to be in the mailing biz Tim Dykes 2675 W. 3rd Avenue, Denver Colorado 80219 303-607-9424 O • 303-607-9428 F www.plumbmarketing.com Straight to sweet results. S TRAIGHT S WEET Continued on page 4 Continued from page 1 PLUMB MARKETING 303-607-9424 • www.plumbmarketing.com • Cutting-Edge Marketing Strategies, Tactics & Timely Tips • Wintertide 2015 Continued on page 2 Seth Godin Will Rogers
